I've noticed at lot of dicsussion in recent threads about TI principles,
As you can see from my location, I'm on the other side of the atlantic and TI has started to make an impact over here.
I've come across a lot of people in my local University pool who seem to have been mesmerised by the TI message and it is now common for me to see people swimming on their sides with one outstreached arm and a submerged head.
When the time comes to breath these guys have their heads so deep from pressing their bouy that they end up lifting it so high that they loose whatever alignment they had in the first place.
From talking to them, none of them seem to want to develop a proper kick and build up endurance so they can develop
good form.
I have decided to post a list of TI priciples and my own critism of these, feel free to add to the list or post a TI defence!
TI PRINCIPLE 1
Side to Side Rotation
to get into Low Drag Fish-like Position
Criticism
Rotation is good to get extentsion and
a good catch + power into the stroke,
Excessive rotation slows down the stroke.
TI PRINCIPLE 2
Swim DownHill
Press your Bouy
Criticism:
Holding head too deep creates drag
Makes breathing Difficult
TI PRINCIPLE 3
No Kicking
Criticism
Kicking essential to fast swimming
+ to maintain good form particularly
for male swimmers.
TI PRINCIPLE 4
Front Quadrant Swimming/
Distance per stroke,
Criticism
A reasonably high Stroke rate is necessay for
fast swimming,
Unless you have a very strong kick a glide
phase in your stroke will cause decelleration
TI PRINCIPLE 5
Drills will make you a better swimmer
Criticism
Drills are important, but there is no
substitute for good quality fast training.
Originally posted by gull80
I think many interpret TI's message (correctly?) as a focus on distance per stroke to the exclusion of all else, including fitness
Read your TI again. (If you still can't find it, PM me in a few days, and I'll find the appropriate sections.)
Laughlin points out that working on good technique can be just as good as a "regular" workout. :D I have no problem with you emphasizing that too many people lose the forest for the trees. But the problem should be correctly assigned.
Originally posted by free142
Compared to elite swimmers there are two factors
slowing ordinary swimmers.
(1) Distance per stroke isn't as good at
any stroke rate
(2) Can't maintain the same stroke rate.
Limitations to (1) are probably technique/strength
orientated and limits to (2) are probably fitness
related. Unfortunatly if people try to achieve a distance
per stroke the same as an elite they are likely
to end up gliding and kill their stroke rate.
There have been studies where they compared elite swimmers and triathletes. (This was a while ago.) Even when the triathletes had superior conditioning and strength, they were blown away in the pool. It wasn't stroke rate.
Originally posted by gull80
I think many interpret TI's message (correctly?) as a focus on distance per stroke to the exclusion of all else, including fitness
Read your TI again. (If you still can't find it, PM me in a few days, and I'll find the appropriate sections.)
Laughlin points out that working on good technique can be just as good as a "regular" workout. :D I have no problem with you emphasizing that too many people lose the forest for the trees. But the problem should be correctly assigned.
Originally posted by free142
Compared to elite swimmers there are two factors
slowing ordinary swimmers.
(1) Distance per stroke isn't as good at
any stroke rate
(2) Can't maintain the same stroke rate.
Limitations to (1) are probably technique/strength
orientated and limits to (2) are probably fitness
related. Unfortunatly if people try to achieve a distance
per stroke the same as an elite they are likely
to end up gliding and kill their stroke rate.
There have been studies where they compared elite swimmers and triathletes. (This was a while ago.) Even when the triathletes had superior conditioning and strength, they were blown away in the pool. It wasn't stroke rate.
